Red & Green
by Lois Ehlert; illus. by the author
Preschool    Beach Lane/Simon    40 pp.
9/23    9781534401723    $18.99
e-book ed.  9781534401730    $10.99

“It was a cold, wintry night, / and all through the house, / not a creature was stirring… / except a small mouse!” Ehlert’s (posthumously published) take on “The Night Before Christmas” provides a zoomed-in, mouse’s-eye view, with her trademark geometric illustrations stealing the show. Frequent die-cuts in unexpected configurations enhance delight, with each page-turn bringing a singular surprise. Bold hues include the expected red-and-green palette along with pops of fuchsia here, understated tones there, and the occasional shiny foils. The tall-and-thin vertical orientation makes pages easy to turn and evokes the Christmas tree on the cover and at the center of the book.

From the November/December 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.